SUPERHEROES
by Michmak
Summary: Nick and Sara share secrets; Gris is jealous
1. MR. FREEZE

Title: SUPERHEROES  
  
Author: Michmak  
  
Summary: S/N friendship, G/S implied - some light swearing.  
  
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. We all know who owns them.  
  
Part One - Mr. Freeze  
  
"Hey Nicky!" Sara's bright voice, immediately to his left and in his ear, made him jump.  
  
"Geez, Sara - sneak up on a guy much?" He discreetly tried to hide what he had been reading by sliding it under his leg, as he turned sideways in his chair to glance at her.  
  
Sara grinned cheekily. "Too tempting. You were zoned, man. Watcha reading?"  
  
Nick grimaced. "Nothing." He kept a wary eye on Sara, and groaned silently when he saw her eyes roll.  
  
"Nothing? Than why are you hiding it, huh?" Sara lunged forward and tried to grab it out from underneath him.  
  
"Sara, don't. Stop it - stop." Sara was tickling him, trying to get him to shift his weight so she could grab the magazine more firmly and pull it out. Nick didn't know whether to be angry with her or to laugh at her childlike attempts to get what she wanted. She was so exasperating at times, like a little sister can be, but Sara so rarely showed a playful side Nick didn't really want to burst her bubble. Instead, he started tickling her back.  
  
Both were laughing so hard at Sara's attempts to see what he had been reading, neither heard footsteps until it was too late.  
  
"Nick! Sara!" Grissom's voice was like a whip, colder than a bucket of ice water. They stopped laughing, and both turned shocked faces to stare at him. Nick's hands were on Sara's waist, against her skin just above the waistband of her jeans. Her shirt had ridden up during their fight, and a good portion of her back and midriff were exposed.  
  
Sara was sprawled half across Nick, one arm draped around his neck, and the other firmly pinned under his butt.  
  
"Hey Gris." Sara smiled weakly, "we were just..uh..just."  
  
Gris' eyes were like ice as the flicked to Nick's hands, still at Sara's waist, and her arm, still pinned underneath him.  
  
"I know what you were 'just'." Both Sara and Nick flinched from the fury in Grissom's voice. "Next time, save it for after hours. The office is no place for.this." And with that, he turned and stalked out of the room.  
  
Sara blanched at Gris' words, and Nick could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. Silently, he helped her extricate herself from her sprawl across his lap, and waited for her to say something. Nothing was forthcoming. Sara just sat on the floor, staring blankly at the door Gris had just stormed out of. She was shaking.  
  
And that's when Nick knew. Swearing under his breath, he knelt down on the floor beside her and pulled her into his arms.  
  
Sara leaned her head against his chest, and Nick rubbed her back gently. Finally, she pulled away and looked up at him.  
  
"How long have you been in love with him, Sara?"  
  
Her eyes shot to his face, and back down. Nick was looking at her with such compassion, the tears she had been holding back suddenly overflowed.  
  
Nick cursed again, got up and went to the door, closing it and locking it firmly. Then he walked back to Sara, picked her up, and carried her over to the small vinyl loveseat. He held her loosely in his arms, murmuring soothingly until the storm had passed. When her silent sobs had turned to hiccups and the occasional weary sigh, he asked her gently, "Want to talk about it?"  
  
Sara's eyes reminded him of bruised violets. "What's the use." She sounded weary and defeated. He hated hearing her like this. They sat in silence for a few more minutes, and just when Nick thought she would say nothing more, she began speaking.  
  
"He's the reason I became a CSI. I signed up for his course because I thought it would be an interesting diversion from my other classes. I went to his lectures, and he was so passionate about his work - I remember thinking, 'I wish I was that passionate about what I'm doing'. So I changed fields. I stayed after classes to ask him questions. For whatever reasons, we became friends - he was my mentor, but.I always saw him as something more. I thought that, maybe, when he asked me to come to Las Vegas, he had finally stopped seeing me as is student, but he hasn't, has he? He treats me like a little kid."  
  
She wiped her face with her hands. "I'm pathetic. Damn him!"  
  
"Sara.his reaction was not the reaction of a man who is oblivious to you." Nick's voice was gentle and reassuring. When Sara looked up at him, questions in her eyes, he expounded.  
  
"When he walked in here and saw my hands on your skin.and then saw your hand underneath my butt- I honestly was glad he doesn't carry a gun. I thought he was gonna kill me. His reaction was.too violent. I'd say he was jealous - he wants you feeling his ass, not mine." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Sara, garnering a small smile.  
  
"Not possible." Sara shook her head.  
  
Nick just grinned. "Totally possible. I was on the receiving end of that glare. He was like Mr. Freeze!" He leaned over, and grabbed what he had been reading, dropping it in her lap.  
  
"Since you're sharing, I will too. He's the reason I became a CSI." He indicated the book in Sara's lap. 


	2. BATMAN

Part II - BATMAN  
  
"Batman?" Sara said, before looking at Nick and grinning a full-on Sara smile. "Batman, Nicky?"  
  
Nick shrugged in embarrassment. "Yeah - and that's exactly why I didn't want you to see what I was reading. I knew you'd make fun."  
  
"Okay, I'm sorry. I won't tease. Why Batman?" Sara asked, suddenly serious.  
  
"Well, because he was a real man." Nick flushed red at Sara's amused snort. "I mean.human character, as opposed to Superman who was born with superpowers. Batman became a superhero because of tragedy in his past. He rose above his hatred and his grief, and instead of letting his life be fueled by thoughts of revenge, he decided to make a difference: to make things better for people by protecting them.by catching the bad guys and putting them away.  
  
"By taking his rage and redirecting it, he became a productive member of society. He became a better man. So, when I was little, I decided that I was going to be like Batman."  
  
Sara was listening to him intently, and nodding. "Well, that makes sense, I suppose. But Nicky? If you're Batman, what fuel's your rage? What are you rising above?"  
  
Nick flinched. He should have realized Sara would get to the heart of the matter - she was far too perceptive for her own good. He looked at her, than studiously glanced away. He didn't know how to answer her - didn't know if he wanted to answer.  
  
Sara reached out and touched his hand gently. "Nick? Nicky? Come on, you can tell me. I really want to understand."  
  
Nick looked at her hand on his, and then looked at his shoes. "I don't like talking about it. But I'll tell you.  
  
"Sara, when I was.nine..I was, uhm..I was raped by a babysitter." He felt her hand clench tighter around his, heard her shocked gasp. He didn't look at her - instead he looked at their clasped hands. Her knuckles were white.  
  
"She was a replacement sitter, not my normal one. My parents had gone out for dinner and a movie, and my sisters were all spending the night with friends. So, it was just me.and her." He shuddered.  
  
"It was summer vacation. I was lying on top of my bed, on top of a Dukes of Hazard sleeping bag I'd gotten for my birthday. I still remember how slippery it felt underneath me.  
  
"No one would have ever known, because I would never have said anything. But, my parents came home early. They had tried calling, and when she didn't answer the phone, they got worried. She didn't hear them come home, and I was crying to hard.  
  
"My dad.my dad found us.and she was.she was.and my dad killed her. He pulled her off me and threw her against my bedroom wall so hard he broke her neck. He went to jail for involuntary man-slaughter. Stayed there for five years. My family was destroyed."  
  
He finally looked at Sara, whose eyes were once again swimming with tears - for him.  
  
"And so," she whisper softly, "you became Batman."  
  
"Yeah. Batman."  
  
They sat silently for a long time, the silence comfortable, wrapping around them like a warm blanket. Nick leaned back against the chair and closed his eyes. Sara rested her head on his shoulder, still clasping his hand tightly in hers.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like ages, Nick stirred.  
  
"Sara?" his voice was soft.  
  
"Yes Nicky?" she replied, just as softly.  
  
"Thanks for letting me tell you. I feel better." He smiled. "I actually feel good."  
  
Silence, then.  
  
"Nicky?"  
  
"Yes, Sara?"  
  
"Do you really think Grissom was jealous?"  
  
"Yes Sara."  
  
"Nicky?"  
  
"Yes Sara?"  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"Yeah. Me too."  
  
"Nicky?"  
  
"Unh?"  
  
"Can I be Robin?"  
  
"Yes Sara." 


	3. ROBIN?

Part III - ROBIN?  
  
He stood up and pulled her to her feet, before walking to the door and unlocking it. Together they stepped out into the hallway. Nick glanced at his watch.  
  
"Slow night." He muttered. "We've been in there for over an hour, and no one came looking for us."  
  
They continued to meander down the hall. Through the windows to the lab, they could see Greg nodding his head violently to whatever music he was listening to through his headset. The muted sound of Warrick and Catherine talking to each other drifted out another open doorway.  
  
Walking by Grissom's office, Nick quickly glanced through the open door. Grissom looked at him, his expression shuttered.  
  
"Nick. Sara. Please come here for a minute." Gris indicated the two chairs in front of his desk. Nick noticed that Gris couldn't look at Sara at all, and he smiled. Definitely jealous.  
  
"I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. You're both adults and."  
  
"Are we Gris? Adults?" Sara interrupted. Gris had the grace to flush around his collar a bit.  
  
"Yes, Sara. And I know that I sometimes, ah."  
  
"Treat me like a child?" Sara responded again.  
  
Nick would have laughed at Grissom's obvious discomfort, if he didn't feel sorry for him. He had the feeling that loving Sara would be damned hard.  
  
"Well no. I mean, I understand that you're a woman Sara and." again, he was interrupted by Sara.  
  
"A women? Me?" Sara's voice was sugary sweet. "You think I'm a woman?"  
  
Gris was starting to look annoyed. Annoyed and trapped. "Yes, a woman. And if you'd quit interrupting."  
  
"Interrupting? Like you interrupted Nicky and I earlier?"  
  
Grissom's eyes widened slightly at her words, and his nostrils flared. He glared at Sara. "And, if you would quit jumping to conclusions.."  
  
Sara sneered. "Conclusions? Like the conclusion you jumped to when you assumed Nicky and I were an item?"  
  
Her words stopped Gris dead. "You mean you're not?"  
  
Sara had walked right up to Grissom's desk and leaned over it, staring him right in the eyes.  
  
"No. Nick and I are not an item. No, Nick and I are not sleeping together. Yes, I am a woman. And you, Gris - you are an ass."  
  
Gris stared at Sara, mouth agape. From Nick's vantage point, he could see Gris swallow a couple of times, clearly at a loss for words. Nick grinned. It appeared that Grissom and Sara had completely forgotten he was even there. They just continued staring at each other. Nick could tell from the look on Sara's face that she was enjoying herself. Finally, Gris dropped his gaze.  
  
"Okay." He said, softly. Then louder, "Okay."  
  
Sara continued looking at Gris, but a smile was on her face.  
  
Gris looked at her again, a small smile creasing the corners of his mouth. Nick realized Gris only smiled at Sara that way.  
  
"I am an ass. You're right Sara. I'm sorry."  
  
At Grissom's words, the laughter Nick had been holding in broke free. Nick met Sara's amused glance with one of his own. He looked at Grissom's owlish, slightly surprised face, and started chuckling harder. Poor guy didn't have a prayer.  
  
"Sara," Nick said, when he finally got himself under control, "I've changed my mind. You can't be Robin."  
  
Sara turned a surprised glance his way. Nick stood up and headed out of Gris' office. "Because, you are definitely Catwoman."  
  
He turned back and winked at a bemused Grissom. "Catch you later - Spiderman!"  
  
Sara's loud shout of laughter followed him down the hallway.  
  
~Fin~ 


End file.
